The average weight of a child at birth is the weight of an infant

Find out more about pregnancy, baby weight loss, and how to tell if your new partner is eating enough.

What is the weight of a newborn?

The average birth weight of a child in the United States is about 7 pounds. Here is the breakdown of birth weight in the US in 2024:

A small birth is considered to be less than five pounds, eight ounces (2,500 grams). In 2024, 8.52% of babies were born low birth weight, and 1.33% were born very low birth weight (less than 3 pounds, 4 ounces, or 1,500 grams).

The weight of the baby depends on several factors, including the size of the parents and race, your health and age, and the weight you gained during pregnancy. Other factors include your baby’s health and gestational age (younger babies are usually born); and if your child is a boy or a girl, first baby or later, or singleton or multiple.

Being small or large at birth does not mean that your child will be small or large in the future.

Why is baby weight important?

Seeing your baby’s growth in height and weight over time gives your baby’s doctor good information about your baby’s health.

When a child does not gain weight at a normal rate, they may be diagnosed with a condition called underweight (or failure to thrive). This happens when they don’t eat well or don’t absorb or use food properly. It could be due to a food problem, stomach problem, or other illness.

Health care providers will monitor your child’s weight because good nutrition is important for your child’s mental and physical development.

While you are in the hospital, a doctor or nurse will check your baby at birth and every 24 hours after birth. Your child will also be tested at your first visit to the doctor (usually the first week after you leave the hospital, when your child is 3 to 5 days old) and at all of your child’s first year visits. These measurements are recorded on your child’s growth chart.

If your baby has any health problems, including unexpected weight loss or jaundice, you may need to see the doctor often in the first few weeks.

What is the normal weight loss of a newborn in the first days after birth?

Most healthy, full-term babies lose between 5 and 10 percent of their birth weight in the first few days after birth. This can be stressful if you’re not expecting it, but it’s normal.

This early weight loss occurs because babies are born with extra fluid that is removed at birth. This weight loss is not a concern unless the baby loses 10 percent of its birth weight.

Your baby needs less food now (his belly is small!), so it may take a few weeks for your baby to be full again, but within 5 days he will be on the top of the scale. If your baby has lost a lot of weight or is sick or a preemie, it may take longer, perhaps three weeks or more.

How much will the baby weigh in the first weeks after birth?

Babies usually start putting on weight 5 to 7 days after birth, and most should be at (or above) their normal weight by the time they are 2 weeks old.

During the first month, newborns get about 1 ounce (30 grams) every day, or 5 to 7 hours a week. By the end of the first month, most babies weigh between 1 and 2 pounds above their normal weight. They also grow about 1 to 1.5 inches (2.54 to 3.81 centimeters) during this month.

Many factors affect a baby’s weight in the first weeks of life, including how quickly your breast milk comes in (if you’re breastfeeding) and how much your baby wants to eat. For example, you may notice that your baby wants to eat more often or longer when he is between 7 and 10 days old, when he is growing. (When a baby wants to eat again after eating enough, it is called cluster feeding.)

Look for increased growth at 2 to 3 weeks, as well as at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months. (Although not all children follow this pattern, and growth can happen at any time!)

After the first month, a baby gets 3 to 5 hours a week for up to 12 months. Although breastfed babies may grow faster in the first few months, breastfed babies grow more quickly after that. During the first year, healthy breastfed babies grow more slowly than breastfed babies. By the second year, their weight is the same.

How do I know if my baby is gaining enough weight?

You may not have the right scale to measure your child at home. Fortunately, counting your baby’s dirty diapers is another good way to tell if your baby is doing well:

• Wet diapers: In the first five days, your baby may only wet a few diapers each day. After that, expect about 6 to 8 wet diapers a day.
• Poopy diapers: In the first few days, some babies may poop once a day. After that, expect your child to eat twice a day. (A breastfed baby will have many diapers, like five or more.

It’s helpful to track newborn diaper changes in the newspaper, on the BabyCenter baby care log, or with an app on your phone.

In addition, your child’s health care provider will be tracking your child’s weight (along with his height and head) at each visit.

Find out more about how to tell if your baby is getting enough breast milk or formula.

What if my baby is losing too much weight after birth or not gaining weight?

It’s a good idea to check with your child’s health care provider if you notice that your child is not eating well or is wetting or soiling the diapers enough.

Talk to your support provider about steps you can take, including:

• Standard measurement. You may need to bring your child to the doctor’s office for regular check-ups until he or she is walking well.
• If you are breastfeeding, have your baby remove one breast before giving the other. This way, they will get the back milk (which is very high in fat) in the end.
• If you are breastfeeding, feed your baby every two hours during the day. If you are bottle feeding, give a bottle every three hours. In any case, don’t go more than four hours at night between feedings.
• If you are breastfeeding, work with a lactation consultant to ensure your baby’s latch is good and to resolve any breastfeeding issues. (Sometimes a simple change of position or skill is needed.)
• Avoid giving your baby a pacifier until he has finished eating.

Ask your child’s caregiver when they want you to contact them between visits. (They may tell you to call them if your child wets the nappy at least four times a day, for example, or if your child starts to refuse to eat). Always call with concerns, including signs of dehydration such as dark urine, strong urine or dry mouth and lips.

Take your child to the emergency department if they show signs of dehydration, including sunken eyes and swollen fontanels (the soft spots on your baby’s head), excessive sleepiness, or excessive fussiness.

When do children increase their weight?

Babies usually double their birth weight by about four months. By the first day of birth, your baby can triple its weight!

Along the way, your child may lose weight for a short period of time, or lose a little weight. But over time, your child’s growth curve should stabilize. Between visits, let your health care provider know if you are concerned that your child is not getting enough.

Want to know how your child compares to other children their age? Read more about weight and growth for babies, toddlers, and children.

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